You Still Need to Know How to Write a Check. Here’s How to Do It

We live in a world where we can pay with a debit card or credit card for just about everything — and in some cases, simply swipe a phone over a payment terminal before whooshing out the door. Sitting down every month with your checkbook to write out paper checks for your utility bills? A thing of the past.

But while we don’t exactly expect a resurgence of check writing, chances are good that the time will eventually come when you need to write a check.

Maybe it will just be a monthly rent check. Maybe it will be a down payment for something exciting, like a car or a house. Maybe you’ll be feeling benevolent and want to write up some snazzy-looking birthday gifts.

So we would still advise you to learn how to write a check. Many people don’t learn how until college, so don’t feel bad if you’re reading this while shielding your computer screen from passersby.

Here Are the Parts of a Check

What are all these lines, boxes and numbers? Stop guessing. We’ll tell you!

Your info, including your address and sometimes your phone number

The check number for your reference

The date line

The recipient line

The payment amount line

The payment amount box

Your bank information

The memo line

Your signature line

Your bank’s routing number

Your checking account number

How to Write a Check

Writing a check is easy if you know these steps.

1. Write the Date in the Upper Right Corner

Note the month, date and year in the top right corner. Usually, this will be the date you are writing the check.

If you want the recipient to wait until you have money in your checking account before depositing the check, you might post-date the check.

You might post-date a check if you’re paying ahead of time for a service. For example, if your rent is due on the first of the month, but you mail your check on the 15th of the previous month because you’re going on vacation, you would postdate the check for the first of the next month.

2. ‘Pay to the Order of’ Means the Person or Business You’re Paying

Write the name of the payee in the field labeled “Pay to the Order of.”

If you’re not sure of the correct title or business name, ask before writing out the check to ensure they can deposit it. Never leave this line blank when you write a check — you risk someone taking the liberty of finishing writing that check out to themselves!

3. Write the Dollar Amount You’re Paying by Check

This goes on the line directly below the payee name. You might write “twelve dollars and eighteen cents,” or “twelve dollars and 18/100” — either is fine as long as it’s clear how much you’re paying. If your writing doesn’t take up the whole space, draw a straight line through to the end of the field so no one else can edit what you wrote.

Pro Tip

You’re doing this in pen, right? Pencil is too easy to alter. We used to be advised to write checks in cursive, but now, writing in pen is enough to indicate legitimacy.

4. Write the Same Amount in the Box on the Right Side of the Check

Now write the amount of the check again, this time in digits. Noting the amount in two ways ensures it’s correct.

Be sure to fill the whole box so the amount can’t be altered. It’s more important to align your dollar amount all the way to the left side of the box so no one can change your $12.18 to $112.18.

5. Write a Memo, if You Choose

In some situations, the recipient may ask you to provide identifying information on your check, like a billing account number.